Increased demand at the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) has resulted in an urgent call for members of the public to come forward as blood donors.
Beginning last Saturday, a number of open heart surgeries for children are
being performed, hence the need for more blood.
An official from the Health Ministry explained that outside of the regular needs of the Georgetown Public Hospital, the surgeries will require about 86 units.
While acknowledging that the NBTS buffer stock of 170 was enough to facilitate the routine needs, in addition to the surgeries that took place on Saturday, the health official pointed out that it would hardly be enough for yesterday’s and today’s operations.
Twenty-two persons donated blood on Saturday at NBTS, and another 30 units were sent to the blood bank from a blood drive held in Berbice.
Still, the call for more units persists, and Guyanese are urged respond to the Health Ministry’s Good Samaritan programme and become voluntary donors.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health, in a release to the media, said, “We are asking persons to urgently donate blood. In order for these surgeries not to be affected and in order to help the hundreds of people in our hospitals who need blood now, we need all donors to come forward urgently.”
Voluntary givers are welcomed at all five sites nationwide: the NBTS headquarters in Georgetown, and the West Demerara Regional, New Amsterdam, Suddie and Linden hospitals.
Reports are that the latter three will have facilities to conduct initial processing of blood collected before sending it to NBTS. New Amsterdam’s is expected in two months time, Linden’s by the end of August, and Suddie’s by the end of the year.
These enhanced facilities are expected to advance blood drive efforts in these areas.